Claire Cook
01-21-2010, 08:39 PM
;)I've admired the great stories from KimberleyTX, SuzanneBender and others, and now I want to share one of my own with you all. Apologies for the longish post.
With the wife away for two weeks, I was looking forward to more time as me. I had planned to spend the weekend with two friends, Gisele and Michael, at their place on the Delaware beach. Both know about me, and Gisele and I had planned to hit the outlet shops with some serious time. (Then Michael and I would watch football). However, she had unexpected work come up. She is a longtime friend and colleague, and I’d her about Claire last year. She has seen me dressed a number of times – the three girls had dinner at our place once, and the two of us went out once before for dinner.
Well, last Friday we traded e-mails and she suggested that the girls go out for dinner – she’ll need a break after working on Saturday. My e-mail response to her: SURE!! :dance: I hadn’t been out for about a month except for shopping, so was long overdue. I made a reservation at Minh’s, a terrific Vietnamese restaurant here in Arlington. I thought I’d used my best femme voice, but the response was “Thank you sir, we’ll see you at 6:30”. Grrr. :phbbt: So it’s 5 and it’s time to get ready. I still haven’t grasped the notion of how long it takes girls to do this. First deciding what to wear – I’d been thinking about this all day! A variety of skirts, tops … and of course I have to wear my new boots! Finally decided on a magenta turtle neck and, of all things, an old A-line wool skirt that was my mother’s! It’s mid- thigh, warm and perfect for the boots. Right, so it’s a 10 minute walk to Gisele’s, then 15 minutes to the restaurant . Omigosh, it’s 6 … where are my keys??? Frantic pink fog moment … does this happen to any of you? OK quick call to her – meet me outside your apartment, I’m running late. Where the hell .. found them! :whew!: Quick check in the mirror – OK, we’re off. We’ll be walking 2-3 miles there and back, , so I’m glad the boots have no heels!
Hmm. She’s not there. I dial up her apartment .. no answer. Then a guy behind me let me in: “You really shouldn’t be standing out here by yourself – wait for her in the lobby.” Then I realized what he was saying – was that cool or what? . So she’s still not there. Called her cell: “Where are you?” “Outside waiting for you “. Oops, there she is. Like before .. she hadn’t recognized me! Quick sisterly hug, then “I can’t believe it .. you look great! Just love the boots.” :oSo off we go .. talking all the way. (Do any of you notice that you are more chatty when dressed? I know I am.) Quick call to the restaurant: “No worries, we’ll keep your table.”
We arrive at the restaurant. The waiter pulls out my chair. Gisele has eaten here before and clearly is in charge. I find it interesting that the waiter senses this, and defers to her on most decisions. We discuss whether to order a glass of wine each or a bottle, and the waiter turns to me and says “Well, I’d have to check your ID first.” I missed this one. My first thought was “Damn, I don’t have one” .. when I should have realized that he was complimenting me, and perhaps teasing a little. Common theme of this thread: I have to get used to this girl thing. :) We decide for the bottle. I order a Santa Barbara chardonnay, but when it arrives the waiter has Gisele try it. Another new experience – usually that’s my job! (I wasn’t offended – that was actually nice.)
Time to order. G. says we must have some Pho soup. For those of you who don’t know Viet cuisine, this is a delicious soup with a clear base and lots of veggies and meat, served in a big bowl for two. We decide to get it with seafood and it was wonderful – shrimp, chunks of scallop, squid and lots of ginger bits. That could have been a meal in itself. Main course, and the waiter looks at me and says “This is your first time here? Let me suggest the deep fried catfish.” Wait a minute. I’ve spent time in the South, and southern deep fried catfish is usually too battered and heavy. The waiter seemed to sense my reluctance and added “It’s a very light tempura style batter – one of the house specialties.” OK. G orders a shrimp and asparagus dish. Unlike other oriental restaurants, they serve each entrée in order, not all at once. A really good idea: lets you savor each dish by itself, rather than having lots of different flavors all at once. Needless to say, the food was terrific. The catfish really was special – very lightly breaded, and served with veggies and a ginger fish sauce. The other dish was more delicate but still enjoyable.
But the best part of all was the conversation. We’d known each other – and worked together – for years, but it was only last year that I’d come out to her. We talked about professional things, personal things, fun things in a way that we never had before – even when we had previously been out. I found myself getting much more animated – especially using my hands when I talked, which I usually don’t do much. When I realized this, I said to her “You know, I usually don’t use my hands like this when I talk”. She said “I know. You are also more relaxed and confident, and you seem much more at ease with yourself. I noticed this when we went out the last time.”
At one point we were talking about a dear mutual friend who had died of cancer, and my eyes started to tear up .. and it felt good. I wonder how many of you experience this: in drab, I tend to be uptight, self-conscious and anxious; dressed, just the opposite. And I’m noticing this: the more I dress (which I try to do for a bit of every day), the more I’m relaxed and confident when I’m not. So much for me. G had had a really stressful week, and I could see her unwinding as we progressed. (I’m sure the chardonnay helped, but I’d like to think the company did too.)
Ok, back to the dinner. At the close, we agreed that it was one of the best meals we’d had in long time. The next time we go there, it’ll be with our spouses (two couples.) Time to cover the check; she has her credit card, and Claire gets hers out ;). She looks at it, winks and says “That’s cool” -- and tells the waiter to split the bill. Then she looks at me and says, “You know, you really have to get your ears pierced.” Response: “I know. I think that will be my retirement / birthday present to myself.” Then .. “You should retire .. you’ii have more time to be yourself.” As we left, the waiter said “Good night ladies.” Wow, if this is the Pink Fog, leave me in it!
We’re walking home. Still chatting. Getting near her apartment, she asks “Would you like me to walk you home?” “No, but I do need to use your powder room.” “Why don’t you come up and I’ll make some tea.” I smile at the desk clerk, and anybody else I see. We have Yogi ginger tea – wonderful after a meal—and relax on the sofa. Michael calls up, and after they catch up I ask her if he knows the score of the Colts’ game. He didn’t, and I realized I really didn’t care!! So we’re flipping through the channels and up comes an old movie on PBS – Jezebel, with Bette Davis. G. had never seen it . So we watch it (G: “A real chick flick”.) We both start commenting on the dresses, the scenery and what I guess were “chick things”. I’d seen it before, but somehow never identified with the Bette Davis character. Now we are both reacting to her and with her, and when the point came when the Henry Fonda character introduces his new wife to Jezebel, we both gasp and .. yes, I started to tear up. Time to leave. Another sisterly hug … and I’m walking home, on Cloud Nine (of course it’s pink!). Truly a memorable night. Why am I not doing this more often? :daydreaming:
With the wife away for two weeks, I was looking forward to more time as me. I had planned to spend the weekend with two friends, Gisele and Michael, at their place on the Delaware beach. Both know about me, and Gisele and I had planned to hit the outlet shops with some serious time. (Then Michael and I would watch football). However, she had unexpected work come up. She is a longtime friend and colleague, and I’d her about Claire last year. She has seen me dressed a number of times – the three girls had dinner at our place once, and the two of us went out once before for dinner.
Well, last Friday we traded e-mails and she suggested that the girls go out for dinner – she’ll need a break after working on Saturday. My e-mail response to her: SURE!! :dance: I hadn’t been out for about a month except for shopping, so was long overdue. I made a reservation at Minh’s, a terrific Vietnamese restaurant here in Arlington. I thought I’d used my best femme voice, but the response was “Thank you sir, we’ll see you at 6:30”. Grrr. :phbbt: So it’s 5 and it’s time to get ready. I still haven’t grasped the notion of how long it takes girls to do this. First deciding what to wear – I’d been thinking about this all day! A variety of skirts, tops … and of course I have to wear my new boots! Finally decided on a magenta turtle neck and, of all things, an old A-line wool skirt that was my mother’s! It’s mid- thigh, warm and perfect for the boots. Right, so it’s a 10 minute walk to Gisele’s, then 15 minutes to the restaurant . Omigosh, it’s 6 … where are my keys??? Frantic pink fog moment … does this happen to any of you? OK quick call to her – meet me outside your apartment, I’m running late. Where the hell .. found them! :whew!: Quick check in the mirror – OK, we’re off. We’ll be walking 2-3 miles there and back, , so I’m glad the boots have no heels!
Hmm. She’s not there. I dial up her apartment .. no answer. Then a guy behind me let me in: “You really shouldn’t be standing out here by yourself – wait for her in the lobby.” Then I realized what he was saying – was that cool or what? . So she’s still not there. Called her cell: “Where are you?” “Outside waiting for you “. Oops, there she is. Like before .. she hadn’t recognized me! Quick sisterly hug, then “I can’t believe it .. you look great! Just love the boots.” :oSo off we go .. talking all the way. (Do any of you notice that you are more chatty when dressed? I know I am.) Quick call to the restaurant: “No worries, we’ll keep your table.”
We arrive at the restaurant. The waiter pulls out my chair. Gisele has eaten here before and clearly is in charge. I find it interesting that the waiter senses this, and defers to her on most decisions. We discuss whether to order a glass of wine each or a bottle, and the waiter turns to me and says “Well, I’d have to check your ID first.” I missed this one. My first thought was “Damn, I don’t have one” .. when I should have realized that he was complimenting me, and perhaps teasing a little. Common theme of this thread: I have to get used to this girl thing. :) We decide for the bottle. I order a Santa Barbara chardonnay, but when it arrives the waiter has Gisele try it. Another new experience – usually that’s my job! (I wasn’t offended – that was actually nice.)
Time to order. G. says we must have some Pho soup. For those of you who don’t know Viet cuisine, this is a delicious soup with a clear base and lots of veggies and meat, served in a big bowl for two. We decide to get it with seafood and it was wonderful – shrimp, chunks of scallop, squid and lots of ginger bits. That could have been a meal in itself. Main course, and the waiter looks at me and says “This is your first time here? Let me suggest the deep fried catfish.” Wait a minute. I’ve spent time in the South, and southern deep fried catfish is usually too battered and heavy. The waiter seemed to sense my reluctance and added “It’s a very light tempura style batter – one of the house specialties.” OK. G orders a shrimp and asparagus dish. Unlike other oriental restaurants, they serve each entrée in order, not all at once. A really good idea: lets you savor each dish by itself, rather than having lots of different flavors all at once. Needless to say, the food was terrific. The catfish really was special – very lightly breaded, and served with veggies and a ginger fish sauce. The other dish was more delicate but still enjoyable.
But the best part of all was the conversation. We’d known each other – and worked together – for years, but it was only last year that I’d come out to her. We talked about professional things, personal things, fun things in a way that we never had before – even when we had previously been out. I found myself getting much more animated – especially using my hands when I talked, which I usually don’t do much. When I realized this, I said to her “You know, I usually don’t use my hands like this when I talk”. She said “I know. You are also more relaxed and confident, and you seem much more at ease with yourself. I noticed this when we went out the last time.”
At one point we were talking about a dear mutual friend who had died of cancer, and my eyes started to tear up .. and it felt good. I wonder how many of you experience this: in drab, I tend to be uptight, self-conscious and anxious; dressed, just the opposite. And I’m noticing this: the more I dress (which I try to do for a bit of every day), the more I’m relaxed and confident when I’m not. So much for me. G had had a really stressful week, and I could see her unwinding as we progressed. (I’m sure the chardonnay helped, but I’d like to think the company did too.)
Ok, back to the dinner. At the close, we agreed that it was one of the best meals we’d had in long time. The next time we go there, it’ll be with our spouses (two couples.) Time to cover the check; she has her credit card, and Claire gets hers out ;). She looks at it, winks and says “That’s cool” -- and tells the waiter to split the bill. Then she looks at me and says, “You know, you really have to get your ears pierced.” Response: “I know. I think that will be my retirement / birthday present to myself.” Then .. “You should retire .. you’ii have more time to be yourself.” As we left, the waiter said “Good night ladies.” Wow, if this is the Pink Fog, leave me in it!
We’re walking home. Still chatting. Getting near her apartment, she asks “Would you like me to walk you home?” “No, but I do need to use your powder room.” “Why don’t you come up and I’ll make some tea.” I smile at the desk clerk, and anybody else I see. We have Yogi ginger tea – wonderful after a meal—and relax on the sofa. Michael calls up, and after they catch up I ask her if he knows the score of the Colts’ game. He didn’t, and I realized I really didn’t care!! So we’re flipping through the channels and up comes an old movie on PBS – Jezebel, with Bette Davis. G. had never seen it . So we watch it (G: “A real chick flick”.) We both start commenting on the dresses, the scenery and what I guess were “chick things”. I’d seen it before, but somehow never identified with the Bette Davis character. Now we are both reacting to her and with her, and when the point came when the Henry Fonda character introduces his new wife to Jezebel, we both gasp and .. yes, I started to tear up. Time to leave. Another sisterly hug … and I’m walking home, on Cloud Nine (of course it’s pink!). Truly a memorable night. Why am I not doing this more often? :daydreaming: